NFL notes: Learning language of St. Louis Rams

This time last year, diminutive Tavon Austin could brag about never missing a practice, let alone a game.

After a rookie season that featured a handful of brilliant highs mixed with stretches of low productivity and three weeks of downtime at the end with a high ankle sprain, the St. Louis Rams wide receiver came clean. Especially early on, the playbook had him bamboozled.

'I didn't really know what was going on,' Austin said. 'Everything looked like Spanish and sounded like Spanish to me.'

Entering Year 2, the eighth overall pick of the 2013 draft is comfortable with a system that's undergone only minor tweaks, and better prepared to bedevil opposing teams.

'I understand the plays, the depth, the routes, the splits and everything,' Austin said. 'I just feel good that I can make some plays. Definitely, the game's slowed down for me.'

Having Sam Bradford calling signals can only help, even if Austin's memorable 310-yard, three-TD game at Indianapolis came on tosses from backup Kellen Clemens a couple weeks after Bradford's season-ending knee injury.

Austin's overall numbers were somewhat pedestrian: 40 catches with a 10.5-yard average and six total TDs.

Though the Rams (7-9) never envisioned the 5-foot-8, 176-pound Austin as an every-down threat, they know there's plenty of untapped talent.

Bradford was eased back into the mix during OTAs and anticipates he'll be ready for the preseason opener. He's coming off a nice half-season, finishing with 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions, and at 26 is a seasoned hand counted on to guide one of the NFL's youngest teams.

New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams seems as feisty as ever and has relentlessly prodded a unit that has underachieved despite being loaded with top picks and free agents.

And Williams definitely made an impression on rookies during OTAs.

'If he gets on me, I'm obviously not doing my job,' said defensive back Lamarcus Joyner, a second-round pick who'll provide immediate help for a secondary that struggled last season. 'I need that. I don't want this guy mad at me.'

Fifth-round pick Zac Stacy just missed 1,000 yards after cracking the lineup in Week 5. He'll have to earn the carries again. Tre Mason, a Heisman finalist and third-rounder who ran behind Greg Robinson for Auburn's national title runner-up team, will push for playing time.

BILL ADMITTED:

Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus agreed to enter an NFL substance abuse program in a bid to have felony drug charges in Alabama dismissed.

The former Crimson Tide star was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after being stopped by a state trooper on May 5.

Four weeks after being arrested in Alabama, Dareus was allegedly racing teammate Jerry Hughes when he crashed his 2012 Jaguar into a tree.

off waivers. He was released by the Patriots last week. ... Giants veteran guard Chris Snee is retiring. Coach Tom Coughlin's son-in-law has had two hip surgeries and now is most troubled by right elbow and wrist problems. The 32-year-old made four Pro Bowls.